The present invention relates to pivotal mounting mechanisms which find particular application in the production of furniture such as chairs with pivotal seats and tables with pivotal legs. In particular, an axle mount arrangement and a method of mounting an axle in an axle mount are disclosed.
In the furniture field, in order to provide a pivotal mount, a cylindrical steel axle is normally provided which forms the basis of the pivoting mechanism. In one type of stadium seating, a substantially vertical backrest is provided together with a pivotal seat which is movable between a substantially horizontal use position and a substantially vertical storage position. This enables close row spacing combined with adequate access. Such stadium seating is normally mounted on a rigid spine which extends along the tread of a stepped or tiered arrangement with the spine of each tread constituting a foundation for a corresponding row of seats.
The overall cost of the provision of stadium seating is determined by three major cost factors. The first factor is the production cost of the physical items which go to make up the seating, such as the backrest, seat, spine, pivotal mechanism, and the like. The second cost factor is the transport of the physical items to the site. The third major cost factor is the labor cost of installing at the site of the stadium, the prefabricated seating components. This installation procedure must be carried out for each seat of the stadium and, particularly in countries where labor costs are high, represents a substantial proportion of the financial value of the seating contract for the stadium.
It is therefore an advantage of the present invention to provide an axle mount arrangement and a method of mounting an axle in an axle mount, which permit stadium seating to be quickly and easily installed.
The invention is also applicable to other types of furniture, such as tables with pivotal legs, where again a reduction in assembly time is advantageous leading to a lower overall cost of production.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there is disclosed an axle mount arrangement for furniture, said arrangement comprising a receptacle having at least one side wall, having a rim, at least one curved track formed in said side wall and commencing at said rim, said track being dimensioned to receive the axle to be mounted, and a plug dimensioned to be received in said receptacle, said plug having an axle receiving aperture therein shaped to define a first and a second axle niche which are spaced apart by a distance corresponding to the displacement of said curved track, whereby said axle can be positioned in said fist axle niche and said plug introduced into said receptacle to thereby align said axle and the start of said curved track, and whereby as said plug is fully inserted into said receptacle said axle moves along said track from said first to said second niche, and is held in said second niche by inter-engagement of said plug and receptacle.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention there is disclosed A method of mounting an axle in an axle mount, said method comprising the steps of:
(i) positioning said axle in a first axle niche of an axle receiving aperture of a plug,
(ii) introducing said plug into a receptacle having at least one side wall which has a rim, said receptacle having at least one curved track formed therein and commencing at said rim, said track being dimensioned to receive said axle, and
(iii) fully inserting said plug into said receptacle to thereby move said axle along said track and also displace said axle from said first axle niche into a second axle niche within said axle receiving aperture, whereby said axle is held in said second niche by inter-engagement of said plug and receptacle.
In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a article of furniture having at least one part thereof pivotal with respect to the remainder of the article about an axle, wherein the axle is mounted in the above-mentioned axle mount arrangement or is mounted by the above-mentioned method of mounting an axle.